A review of phase change materials research for thermal energy storage in heating and cooling applications at the University of Dayton from 1982 to 1996
by Ival O. Salyer, Anil K. Sircar
International Journal of Global Energy Issues (IJGEI), Vol. 9, No. 3, 1997

Abstract: This research was sponsored originally by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), and more recently by private industry. The research began in 1982 and has, with some funding hiatuses, continued to the present time. The DOE programme objectives were to define a cost-effective, environmentally acceptable phase change material (PCM), and methods of incorporating the PCM into building materials (e.g., concrete, plasterboard) for applications in residential heating and cooling for energy conservation. The DOE programme goals have been achieved through defining and developing a series of linear crystalline alkyl hydrocarbon phase change materials that are commercially available from polymerization of ethylene and from by-products of petroleum refining. These PCMs are preferred over their nearest alternatives for home heating and cooling and several other applications as well. Additionally, methods of 'containing' the PCM in soft, conformable dry powders of PCM/silica, and in pellets of high density polyethylene, and by absorbing into the porous matrices (e.g., plasterboard, concrete) that effectively solves problems of PCM leakage, volume changes in melting and freezing, heat transfer, flammability, etc. were defined. However, with private industry funding, the research was broadened to include PCMs that use the solid-to-liquid phase change of water (at O°C) and the liquid-to-gas transition (at 100°C), for uses at these specific two transition temperatures, modified composition for temperatures below 0°C and above l00°C were also developed. Besides residential heating and cooling, applications of commercial interest include; hot and cold medical therapy, hot and cold tableware service, hot and cool textile fabrics, thermal protection of flight data and cockpit voice recorders, preventing overnight freezing of bridge decks, and preventing the overnight freezing of citrus tree trunks. Commercialization of the PCM technology for all the uses listed above is in progress in the United States and Japan. Sixteen US patents, plus several equivalent foreign patents have been obtained. The results have also been published in many journal and special reports.

Online publication date: Thu, 10-Jul-2014

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